Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-17
THE KNIGHT In POLITICS.
ROBUST CAT GETS OUT OF THE
MINNEAPOLIS BAG.

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi. Oct. H.-For nearly
ten hours Saturday, barring a brief inter-
mission for lunch, the general assembly of
the Knights of Labor was in the most secret
Of all its conclaves-an executive session.
The subject under consideration was the
proposition introduced Friday night, nomi-
nally under the auspices of the committee on
laws but in reality elnanating from Phila-
delphia assembly in close sy mpathy with the
administration, and which not only reduces
the membership OF the executive board from
six to four, but confers upon the general
master workman the power of designating
the membership of that body. The friends
of T. B. Barry, the Michigan legislator, and
Bailey, the Ohio miners champion saw in
this proposition an attack upon their lead
ers, and resolved to fight it to the bitter end
The result was that the proceedings of the
day were the most sensational and noisy that
have ever TRANSFERRED in any session of a gen.
eral assembly since the order was brought
into existence.
The anti-administration men started off the
fight Saturday by renewing the charge that
the proposition was aimed at the two b, and
Delegate A. NJ. Dewey, of Detroit, was called
upon TO explain the report that he had said
certain things derogatory to these gentlemen,
both in Chicago and this city. In response
Dewey said that without mentioning names
he had made the statement that it would be
for the best interests OF the order for two
members OF the executive board to be retired
at once. Barry flung the lie into Deweys
teeth by stating that he had named him
Barry as one of the two
From this time the debate waxed hot and
furious At last Barry obtained the floor
and made vehement defense. He said that
it was sought to down him because he from
the time that he had entered the executive
board had set his face against the financial
mismanagement-so akin to Doodle
ism-which prevailed mt h headquarters. Then
he went on to give details. He said that a
certain master workman OF New York tinean-
ing Thomas U'Reilly} who had been appointed
an organizer, and had brought only five as
sembiies into existence during the year, while
he permitted the previous membership to fab
away, had been paid 81, $50 without author
ity, and that Powderly had promised that the
money should be refunded
Powderly, interrupting said that he had
made the motion to refund the money him
self
lccuhlusr suiA bieht wa 'oo "a II
tual admission that he considered it illegal
He charged that General Secretary Itch
man had discharged clerks in the office with
out notice or reason, in spite OF his Barry s.
demands that no person should he discharged
except for cause. Then there was the case
of Miss Ryan, who was employed in the
office in spite of the fact that she refused to
affiliate with the order, on the ground that
1.-THE women of the order were not proper as
sociates for her" He also charged that the
general executive board had employed lady
telegrapber i'll the office who was not mem
Der of the order, on the ground that she had
given valuable Information during the
southwestern strike. The present stenog
rapher, he said, was not a member until he
and Bailey protested, whereupon she was
proposed, balloted for and elected the same
night by Litchman, O'Reilly and Hayes, de-
spite the fact that the constitution said that
no person should be balloted for and initiated
the same night.
He then attacked the general executive
board for bringing female employees to the
city and boarding them at the leading hote
at considerable outlay, and read an atfida
Wit from former stenographer of the board
detailing alleged trickery resorted to by sew
eral of its members and employees to work VI
sentiment against himself and Bailey.
Hayes has gone about the country charg-
ing that am an Anarchist, said the excited
speaker
Il have SAID so only once, and that in 6
meeting of the board" shouted Hayes "Now
| say so again again"
1T is lie, responded Barry. Il am as
h. nfr
this floor No man can call me an Anarchist
upon the outside"
Resuming, he said that in the face of the
falling off in membership the expenses of the
general offices had doubled during the pasi
year, while only half the work of the previou:
one had been done Barry went on in thi!
strain at length, and at one stage, advancing
to the table, he shook his fist and exclaimed
to Powderly: Presently, when you get into
a sentimental mood, you will stand up here
with the tears in your eyes, and offer YOU
resignation. Don't go too far | warn you
that this assembly is in no mood to entertain
the one-man idea 1t wants no king, and ii
will have none" This was greeted with ap
plause and misses. At another stage hi
charged delegate with having declared thai
he and Bailey would have to go, and the dele
gate, rising to his feet, denied the impeach
ment. "You did-you did. You said it Il
u.s." yelled half dozen delegates in chorus
After Barry had concluded Hayes took tbs
floor and made long speech in self-defense.
He said that he had broken up his bushes,
by his devotion to the order and had gone tC
Powderly and given in his resignation. ~Mr
Powderly said,' continued Hayes, If you
7 will sCIOo1 fand / rar,iiaH 1T
you and should go what would become Oh
the orderf"
This was greeted with roars of laughter OIL
the part of the Observation-Disclosures. Re
summing, he explained the charge that he had
boarded his family at hotel in Philadelphia
at the expense of the order, saying that he
did so in order that himself and Powderly
might remain on the board and save the or
ganization Several delegates asked him il
he had not spent a considerable portion OF
his time i'll political work in New Jersey. He
replied in the affirmative, and said that but
for the traitor-like work of labor member
from Patterson, he would have dictated tht
United States senator.
Another DELEGATE asked him if he had gont
with so, 900 to Maine the defeat Reed foI
congress
YES" was the reply, Il went there for thai
purpose. and now | will say more: 1t is 7.
B. Mcclure and not John Jarrett that de
feated Morrison in Illinois. Morrison sale
Damn the eight hour law, and the expires
sion lost him his seat"
The discussion ran along in this vein fol
hours, nearly every delegate and member OF
the executive board having something to say
Al times the unrDar was dnaf aninO C;nnaral
Secretary Litchman defended the administra.
ton of his office at length, and several dele
gates charged that the general administra
ton was honey combsd with mismanagement.
When dusk approached there were loud call:
for vote, and it was claimed that the ad
ministration was staving off an expression OF
opinion because it knew that several delegate,
were compelled to leave on the night trains
Finally, however, the debate was adjourned
until Monday, and the tired and psrspirina
delegates filed from the ball
A paper was put in circulation Saturday
evening and it is claimed has received the
signatures of thirty delegates, which pledges
the signers, in the event of the administra-
ton carrying the day, to attend confer
ence to be called some time next month.
This is understood to presage a split in the
order
Powderly denied, in the course of the days
proceeding, that he had stated that his resig-
nation was prepared, and was met by shouts
your friends are saying it for you" and
"lts being used as a club" The opinion in
the best informed circles is that the Powderly
administration will win by a vote of about
80 to DO Less than $50 delegates are now in